


A Wild Ray of Sunshine

by starvingsnout



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, Uni AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-19
Updated: 2014-08-19
Packaged: 2018-02-13 19:55:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2163195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starvingsnout/pseuds/starvingsnout
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Another relatively old thing from my tumblr, based on <a href="http://damavales.tumblr.com/post/87628060474/kissingziall-zayn-chasing-niall-across-the">these tags</a>, which also gave me the title. I'll never write more of this, I was just inspired for this short little thing :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Wild Ray of Sunshine

Zayn meets Niall at a student union karaoke night. Now, Zayn doesn’t do karaoke as a rule but there’s a quiz before the singing begins and he’s promised to join Harry’s team since he’s apparently the smartest person Harry knows and because there’s a couple of VIP Coldplay tickets as prizes that Harry “needs like air”. (Harry may have cried a little when begging Zayn for help and Zayn may or may not have a weakness for tears.)

 

Niall is the third member in Harry’s team and Zayn can’t figure why exactly because he’s about as rubbish as Harry himself in every subject apart from pop culture and football. He’s very friendly, though, and so genuinely in awe every time Zayn knows the answer that Zayn can’t help but be won over. It helps that Niall’s not bad to look at and has a thick Irish accent, which makes everything he says a thousand times sexier, even when he’s being distressingly ignorant of the world.

 

"How can you not know the capital of Iceland? Like, it’s almost straight above us!" Zayn exclaims half-way through the geography portion of the quiz, half convinced Niall is taking the piss now.

 

Niall laughs affably. “Sorry! I know where it is but the names are terrible! Like that volcano that erupted and messed up air traffic, Effenfaffelnaffle something? Terrible!”

 

"Eyjafjallajökull," Zayn corrects with a smile.

 

"What the hell? I can’t believe you know that!" Niall shakes his head disbelievingly, lifts his pint and takes a long swallow.

 

"I told you he’s, like, super smart," Harry beams at them and his smile keeps getting wide and wider at each question they know the answer for. When the quiz ends and the jury starts calculating the results, he springs out of his seat with spread arms and shouts to the entire room, "Who wants to hear me sing _A Sky Full of Stars_?” The cheers he gets appear mostly encouraging and it’s enough for him to strut to the front of the room where the karaoke machine is being set up.

 

"So, what’s the deal? Do you travel a lot or…? I mean, you were really sure about all the answers in the geography part," Niall says conversationally before Zayn has even thought about feeling awkward left alone with him.

 

"Oh, uh, no. I’ve never left England, actually. I don’t even have a passport," Zayn admits self-consciously. His family never had the money to travel anywhere further than Lake District when he was young and as a teenager he spent all summers and school holidays working in preparation for uni. In the end it wasn’t all that necessary as he was granted a hefty scholarship to ease him into the programme of his dreams but he couldn’t have known that in advance. "It’s just a hobby, really, reading about foreign countries and cities. I probably wouldn’t like the actual- It’s probably better on paper, travelling," he finishes feebly.

 

"Well, apart from England I’ve only been to Spain and the Canaries-"

 

"They’re a part of Spain," Zayn mutters.

 

"-but I’d say travelling is pretty amazing, as long as you’ve got the right attitude. You should definitely get on it," Niall says earnestly and leans forward against the table on crossed arms.

 

"Yeah, I will. Some day, when I’m in a good place with- everything else." Zayn hopes his tone indicates he’s not interested in pursuing the subject any further - he’s more curious about finding out whether Niall getting it on with anyone and which way he’s inclined as far as gender preferences are concerned - but Niall seems to have taken Zayn’s lack of adventuring to heart.

 

"No, no, don’t bother waiting for all the stars to align or whatever because it’s never perfect, really, there’s always something. You think you need to take that language course first, get that extra summer credit, take that job you don’t really need just to save up a little more, build your fecking confidence- You don’t. Just go. Book a flight to whichever city appeals to you and go from there. Don’t come back until you feel like you’ve seen enough. Trust me, leaving only gets harder the older you get. I’ve seen it happen and it’s not pretty."

 

Zayn is a little speechless at the intensity of Niall’s words and clear blue eyes but is thankfully spared from answering because the karaoke machine appears to be finally working and Harry has clambered onto the little stage in the corner to speak into the mic. “Alright, everyone, here goes my world premiere performance, the Harry Styles cover of A Sky Full of Stars. I’m sorry in advance.”

 

In all honesty, Harry isn’t half bad and most of the pub ends up singing along with him, Niall included. Zayn isn’t familiar with the song and is more than happy with just listening, but it’s a luxury that doesn’t last. A few pints and various rousing renditions of Beatles classics, _Wonderwall_ , and _Grenade_ later he’s bullied and literally walked (by Niall) into doing _Drunk in Love_ (Harry’s choice) but by then he doesn’t really mind so much, especially when Niall volunteers to start the song and does it so horribly that Zayn can’t at least sound worse than that.

 

The reception is much better than he anticipated and back at the table Niall, who turns out to study sound engineering, enthusiastically insists that Zayn come and sing over some of his beats some time. Zayn wants to interpret it as a come-on and is itching to test the waters with some casual flirting but Harry’s sat right next to them, apparently completely oblivious to the situation, and Zayn really doesn’t want to try and be charming next to Mr Charming himself.

 

The three of them chat about random topics for another fifteen minutes as best they can with all the attempts at singing in the background, and Zayn is growing increasingly frustrated at Harry’s failure to take the hint. The more Niall talks and laughs the more attracted Zayn is to him but even his slightly drunken state he still can’t muster anything beyond (hopefully) sultry looks and slight brushes of calf against calf under the table to express his interest when Harry’s glued to their sides.

 

In the end, Harry’s presence does turn out quite useful, however. The karaoke is finally put on pause in order for the result to be announced and when Harry’s team somewhat surprisingly take the win he celebrates by squishing Zayn’s face between his giant palms and slobbers kisses all over his cheeks and lips. Once he’s done he (finally!) departs the table in order to collect the prizes, leaving Zayn and Niall in an awkward silence.

 

Well, awkward for Zayn at least. While Harry does kiss him more or less whenever he feels like it (he has a weird fixation with Zayn’s cheekbones) he usually considerately refrains from doing it in public. It tends to give people the wrong idea.

 

Niall doesn’t appear phased, however. “Do I get to kiss you too?” he asks and while his smile is playful his eyes are dark. Zayn shrugs, all casual just in case, but when Niall gets closer his heart starts pounding like he’s just got off a treadmill. Niall goes for the cheek first and the touch of his lips is light, like he’s not quite sure if Zayn’s interested, but apparently the involuntary shuddery breath Zayn lets out is enough for him to go for the lips. Zayn responds enthusiastically by wrapping his arms around Niall’s shoulders and all but collapsing into him with a greedy moan.

 

Half an hour later he’s on his back in his bed in his and Harry’s flat, clad only in his t shirt, moaning Niall’s name every time said Irishman’s fingers rub against his prostate. He comes with a muffled scream into Niall’s mouth and passes out almost immediately.

 

In the morning he wakes up alone, with a Post-it attached to his shirt. It says, “hey didnt want t wake ya, ring me about the singing, im serious !!! ask harry for number, i had a great time i rly hope you ring me haha”. Zayn smiles and goes back to sleep, this time the note clutched in his fist.


End file.
